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Except, again, it's not just that Gosho's put the brakes on the plot since those days—he's pulled the emergency break, with the past 9 years.

If Rumi was going by "Asaka," and Koji heard "Rum," somehow, before he died, then perhaps it was a double message—again, Gosho really tailored stuff, here, with the words on the mirror—Rumi's name (minus the W and I), and, her alias and the name of the killer. If the code is a double message, then he'd want the reader to know the name of the killer (Rum), the alias of the witness (Asaka), and the real name of the witness (Rumi Wakasa). For one reason or another (maybe she fled the scene because she thought she'd be implicated, arrested and convicted), Rumi didn't tell the police about what she'd seen (else it'd be in the news, she wouldn't be the prime suspect, and there'd be no need to try and get someone to solve it, if she's the one uploading the case details), but I'd say she knows more than a little about Rum. Evidently, though, she needs someone who'd know more about underworld things (about the BO). She likely saw that Kogoro Mouri had become involved in the investigation (at least, he was going to be), and, for some reason, decided to become a teacher at Teitan Elementary. This would be because she, likely, looked at all of Kogoro's cases, found out about Shinichi/Conan, and went to investigate him, to see if he really was the true Sleeping Kogoro and if he could help her track down Rum. The skills she displayed in 968 were why she was hired as Amanda's bodyguard, to begin with—considering Amanda was a big fan of Koji, this would've been ideal, if Rumi was Koji's girlfriend, hence the personal investment in tracking down Rum. The ponytail would just be how she did her hair in her 20s. At this point, there are three theories about Asaka's identity: 1) Asaka is Rum. Shinichi/Conan read Koji's dying message correctly; Rum became Amanda Hughes' bodyguard in order to kill her; Koji walked in during the murder, heard "Rum" (either some time before or just before), and tried to intervene (or was seen before he could get the police); Koji is killed by APTX 4869; perhaps, Rum's eye is gouged by Koji with the scissors found gripped in his hand, hence why pictures were taken of the mirror (the struggle between Rum and Koji could've led to the police being called by someone else); after the pictures are taken of the mirror, Rum returns and takes it, and is seen by a witness, leaving, with the mirror in his hand. 2) Asaka is Rumi. Shinichi/Conan read the first part of Koji's dying message incorrectly, mainly because he hasn't realized the second part; Rumi, perhaps Koji's girlfriend, was hired by Amanda Hughes as a bodyguard; Rumi was overpowered by Rum, but not killed, and Amanda was then killed; Koji walks in during the murder, hears "Rum" (either some time before or just before), and tries to intervene (or is seen before he can get the police); Koji is killed by APTX 4869; perhaps, Rum's eye is gouged by Koji with the scissors found gripped in his hand, hence why pictures were taken of the mirror (the struggle between Rum and Koji could've led to the police being called by someone else); after the pictures are taken of the mirror, Rumi (perhaps awakening from unconsciousness), grabs the mirror and flees, fearing she'll be suspected, arrested, and convicted, and is seen by a witness, leaving, with the mirror in her hand; Rumi goes into hiding and lays low for years (perhaps she's running from the BO as well as the authorities); Rumi sporadically uploads details of the case, hoping someone will solve it; Eventually, she learns of Kogoro Mouri's involvement, investigates, and discovers Conan Edogawa; Rumi applies to become a teacher at Teitan High, and is hired; Rumi, on her first day, tests Shinichi's/Conan's intelligence in order to see if he's the true Sleeping Kogoro, so she can then approach him about the case, and see if he can lead her to Rum, and get revenge for what he did to her. 3) Asaka is neither Rum nor Rumi, but someone else. Shinichi/Conan read Koji's dying message incorrectly (in terms of Asaka not being Rum); either a BO agent (not Rum) became Amanda's bodyguard to make it easier for Rum to kill her, or someone like Mary was brought in as Amanda's bodyguard; either Koji walked in during the murder, heard "Rum" (either some time before or just before, likely from Asaka), and tried to intervene (or was seen before he could get the police), or Mary (or whoever was brought in as the bodyguard) was overpowered by Rum, but not killed, and Amanda was then killed; either Koji is killed by APTX 4869 administered to him by Rum, or Koji is killed by APTX 4869 administered to him by Rum or by Asaka; perhaps, Rum's eye is gouged by Koji with the scissors found gripped in his hand, hence why pictures were taken of the mirror (the struggle between Rum and Koji could've led to the police being called by someone else)—in this case, if Asaka is a BO agent, they'd be the one to administer APTX to Koji; either Rum flees the scene (especially if his eye is gouged), and after the pictures are taken of the mirror, Asaka and takes it, and is seen by a witness, leaving, with the mirror in his hand, or after the pictures are taken of the mirror, Mary (or whoever the bodyguard brought in is, perhaps awakening from unconsciousness), grabs the mirror and flees, and is seen by a witness, leaving, with the mirror in their hand (in either scenario, Rumi could still have been Koji's girlfriend, and still could be one uploading the case's details). For that instant, we see the "........." on Page 17 of File 330—he never thinks about it, after that moment (at least, we're not shown him thinking about it... or about the behavioral inconsistencies (355–357/274–275)). Vermouth could've been Jodie, as Gosho wanted us to think, at the time. Only those who noted certain hints (File 340, Page 18/File 343, Page 18) and recalled Gosho's tendencies to make the least suspicious/harmless character the culprit realized that Vermouth was Tomoaki. http://bato.to/reader#1a9d982780e85db0_16 http://bato.to/reader#1a9d982780e85db0_17 Plus, if Shinichi/Conan thought that Shuichi's presence during that case was due to James, he'd associate James with Shuichi, who he, for some time, thought was a BO agent. He wasn't bothered by Shinichi/Conan to the degree of Shuichi, Jodie and Tomoaki/Vermouth, yes, but that was because after his intro case (325–327/258–259), he didn't appear until the Vermouth arc was over. Gosho could've had him appear even more suspicious.